Webmasters get asked some of the most unusual questions. While many specific queries are answered personally, we thought it would be fun to let our readers see some of the most interesting (or odd) ones. Many of our readers' questions take hours of research, so we needed someone who knows it all (or at least clever enough to make up a good answer!)

Sr. Carlos Cuellar, long-time resident of Manzanillo, Mexico aficionado and keeper of the keys of knowledge in almost every imaginable field (including love), invites you to:

Ask an Hombre!

I am coming to Manzanillo for my birthday, and I want to hire a Mariachi. Can I do that?

Everything from a single singer (male or female), to a 10-piece group is available, with prices ranging from $50 pesos/song to $2,400 pesos per hour. I picked the lady Mariachi, Srta. Alejandra Sol, above to sing at my birthday.

Hombre

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Are there any strip clubs in Manzanillo, or if not, are there any in a
nearby town?

Garret

Yes, there are four places that do table dances, lap dances, and a lot more.  Whatever the customer wants.  Plus there is a "Zona de Tolerancia," which means where everything is permitted by law and the girls have to be checked by a doctor once a week. Some would call it the "Red Light District." There are also "Motels de Paso," where you can bring the young lady of your choice for an hour or two, or all night. 

Hombre

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 What can you tell me about the Gran Turismo Resort? Is it on the water? What kind of exitement would single middle aged female photographers find in Manzanillo? 

Kate

Hi  Kate:

To answer you properly, first I would have to know which resort it is that you are referring to as Gran Turismo.  If it is the Karmina, it is a new spectacular 5-star. On one side is the Pacific Ocean, and the other side is an 18-hole golf course that is considered by golfers--not my sport, by the way--as a good to excellent course.  

If the resort is the Grand Bay in Barra de Navidad, that is on a little lagoon that is adjacent to the ocean.  That one has a 27 holer that is considered world class.

As far as excitement in Manzanillo for a middle-aged female photographer I would suggest me!!  Poco kidding.  But, there are a number of things to do in and around Manzanillo such as waterfall trips, re-Columbian ruins, and a trip to the volcano is always interesting. Photo ops await the visitor of any of our lakes and lagoons, if wildlife is your thing. If the wild life is your thing, Manzanillo has plenty of that, too!

Hope this helps and looking forward to meeting you soon,

Hombre

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I visited Manzanillo about 10 years ago, and stayed at a place that I believe was called Playa Blanca. I don't know if that was the name of the hotel or the beach, but I've been looking everywhere for it and can't find it. As I remember, it was the next resort over from a Club Med, there were pathways up and down hills to get to the beach and rooms, a hill top restaurant in addition to the beach lunch spot and the breakfast patio, I was told that it was owned by an Italian father and son team and managed by a woman who was called 'The Countess'. The other thing I remember is that there were oval holes in the walls that were after the shape of some kind of local nut.  I would love to go back. Does this ring any bells? Has it changed names? Was it all a wonderful dream? Thank you for your time.

Cheers,
A Woman in Severe Need of a Vacation

Dear Ms. Severe,

I believe it is now the Hotel Bel-Air, with its main office in Mexico City, and all of your other memories are correct, including the one of the Italian Contessa. It is still owned by the same Italian family, and rooms are about $300/night.  The number is (when dialing from the U.S. or Canada) 011-52-335-10000. Susan Dearing, owner of the web site, stayed and worked there teaching scuba diving about 11 years ago.

It is about an hour north of Manzanillo's airport.

It is near the resort, Club Med Playa Blanca.

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I'll be traveling to Manzanillo Aug. 26 - Sept. 3, to visit some of my wife's relatives.  After having read the "Travel Warnings" issued by the US State Department, I'm a little freaked out about traveling in Mexico. While the reports do not mention Manzanillo specifically, I was hoping you could tell me what (if any)  we need to be on the lookout for during our stay.  It seems the crime rate is VERY high in most of the major cities...How are things in Manzanillo?

Thanks in advance for any info/tips you can give.                          

Eric

Eric:

I'm going to answer for Carlos today, since the Hombre is out diving. As a
foreigner living and working in Mexico for the past 14 years, I'd like to tell you that Colima and Manzanillo are the safest places I've ever lived. I drive to the border several times each year, taking varying routes, and have found the people everywhere to be honest and friendly. Of course there are border stops, where you'll find either the army or narcotics police (PGR) checking for drugs and guns. If you don't have any, you'll not have a problem. 

In fact, today I'm driving to Pto. Vallarta on the coastal highway. I have camped and spent the night alone in remote areas, also without incident, except for the police patrol waking me up to tell me its dangerous. When I sleepily explain I'm 50 years old and I've been doing this for the last 20 years in Mexico, they look at me like I'm nuts, but that's the only problem I've ever had--getting woke up in the middle of the night by patrolling police.

Of course, all big cities have higher crime rates than small towns like Manzanillo. Doesn't Detroit? Chicago? New York? Would you not drive on a highway in Michigan,  because you've heard they have street gangs in Detroit?

We're 1200 miles from Chiapas, and 800 from Mexico City. If you don't do
drugs, or start a revolution, you'll have no problem. 

Susan Dearing